Tank cycling

[rerr001]

Drop raw shrimp into my 75g tank to start cycling, is it common for the water o not look as clear. Drop shrimp in four days ago and water looks a littile cloudy. Should I add carbon to filter sock? Should I run skimmer? Or is this normal?

[Cymonous]

You can run your filtration, but I wouldn't start the skimmer yet. I would start testing your water for Ammonia. If there is ammonia, you can remove the shrimp.

[rerr001]

tested last night and had a reading of 1.0 ppm, should i remove the shrimp at this point?

[Fizz71]

1 shrimp in a 75g? I'd like to see a higher spike, but that might be all you get. I'd pull it and watch for nitrites.

[rerr001]

No 2 shrimp in the 75. Should I wait for it the go higher? How high, of course would be the next question.

[bnumair]

u can pull the shrimp out. u got ammonia cycle already started. adding more ammonia will only prolong the bacterial growth to overcome the ammonia. remember bacteria can only grow in same proportion as ammonia produced.

[rerr001]

Thanks guy, as stated early, will cycling cause the water to become a little cloudy?

[Fizz71]

Thanks guy, as stated early, will cycling cause the water to become a little cloudy?

Highly possible as you have rotting seafood floating about. :)

[rerr001]

yea fizz, my thoughts! My first SW tank...loads to learn!

[Ratchnick]

u can pull the shrimp out. u got ammonia cycle already started. adding more ammonia will only prolong the bacterial growth to overcome the ammonia. remember bacteria can only grow in same proportion as ammonia produced.

On this note, if you pull the shrimp out, and the bacteria eat all the ammonia, they will start to starve. In an established tank, ammonia is produced by fish, corals and decaying food, the ammonia is eaten right away and thus you have a reading of 0.
If you take the shrimp out, your ammonia goes down, and you have no source of ammonia your bacteria will start to die off. Then when you put a fish in there, your ammonia spikes leaving you stumped. I guess what I'm trying to say is be ready to replace your ammonia source. This happened to me and it was frustrating to cycle a tank then deal with a fish in an uncycled tank.

[rerr001]

Ratchnick, should I leave the shrimp in a little longer to get higher ammonia level? I heard of people "ghost feeding" fish flakes, geuss that is the way they keep the ammonia level up for the bacteria to feed.

[bnumair]

On this note, if you pull the shrimp out, and the bacteria eat all the ammonia, they will start to starve. In an established tank, ammonia is produced by fish, corals and decaying food, the ammonia is eaten right away and thus you have a reading of 0.
If you take the shrimp out, your ammonia goes down, and you have no source of ammonia your bacteria will start to die off. Then when you put a fish in there, your ammonia spikes leaving you stumped. I guess what I'm trying to say is be ready to replace your ammonia source. This happened to me and it was frustrating to cycle a tank then deal with a fish in an uncycled tank.

that is true and thus ghost feeding comes in play. after u get an ammonia spike initially remove the shrimp and start ghost feeding every 3 days. keeping enough bacteria alive to sustain a bio load of a fish or 2 when added after cycle.

[rerr001]

For a 75g tank, how much do you "ghost feed"? A pinch a day...more?

[bnumair]

pinch every other day is fine.

[rerr001]

ok thanks